The effect of renal sympathetic denervation on nocturnal dipping in patients with resistant hypertension; observational data from a tertiary referral centre in the Republic of Ireland.

OBJECTIVE: Renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) is an emerging device based treatment for patients with resistant hypertension. Nocturnal dipping (ND) is defined as a decrease in BP of 10-20 % during sleep, and has been shown to be protective against cardiovascular disease. This study examined the effect of RSD on the 24 h BP profile of patients with resistant hypertension. METHODS AND RESULTS: The first 23 consecutive patients with resistant hypertension scheduled for renal denervation in a single centre were included. 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitors (ABPM) were given to patients pre-procedure and 9 months post-procedure. RSD led to a statistically non-significant reduction in overall 24 h ABPM BP (150/85 ± 12/9 vs. 143/84 ± 15/11 mmHg; P > 0.05) despite a reduction in the number of antihypertensive medications (4.9 ± 1.2 vs. 4.3 ± 1.2; P = 0.001). There were improvements in systolic ND 1.7 ± 8 vs. 5.2 ± 8 %; P < 0.05), diastolic ND (5.2 ± 8 vs. 10.2 ± 9 %; P < 0.05) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) ND (4.2 ± 8 vs. 8.0 ± 8 %; P < 0.05). Non-significant changes in ND status were observed in systolic (17 vs. 43 % of participants; P > 0.05), diastolic (30 vs. 43 % of participants; P > 0.05) and MAP (22 vs. 39 % of participants; P > 0.05) measurements. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that RSD may lead to an improvement in nocturnal dipping in selected patients with resistant hypertension. This may have cardiovascular benefits even if reduction in BP is not achieved with RSD.

Induction of bystander response in human glioma cells using high-energy electrons: a role for TGF-beta1.

We examined bystander cell death produced in T98G cells by exposure to irradiated cell conditioned medium (ICCM) produced by high-energy 20 MeV electrons at a dose rate of 10 Gy min(-1) and doses up to 20 Gy. ICCM induced a bystander response in T98G glioma cells, reducing recipient cell survival by more than 25% below controls at 5 and 10 Gy. Higher doses increased survival to near control levels. ICCM was analyzed for the presence of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1). Monoclonal antibodies for TGF-alpha (mAb TGF-alpha) and TGF-beta1 (mAb TGF-beta1) were added to the ICCM to neutralize any potential effect of the cytokines. The results indicate that TGF-alpha was not present in the ICCM and addition of mAb TGF-alpha to the ICCM had no effect on bystander cell survival. No active TGF-beta1 was present in the ICCM; however, addition of mAb TGF-beta1 completely abolished bystander death of reporter cells at all doses. These results indicate that bystander cell death can be induced in T98G glioma if a large enough radiation stress is applied and that TGF-beta1 plays a downstream role in this response.

The use of sourdough fermented by antifungal LAB to reduce the amount of calcium propionate in bread.

Addition of sourdough is a common practice in the bakery industry to improve, among other quality parameters, the shelf life of bread. In this study, sourdough fermented by antifungal Lactobacillus plantarum strains was investigated for the ability to inhibit growth of common bread spoilage fungi. In both in vitro and sourdough wheat bread system, the antifungal sourdoughs significantly affected the outgrowth of Aspergillus niger, Fusarium culmorum, or Penicillium expansum spores, however on wheat bread outgrowth of Penicillium roqueforti spores was not affected. In an attempt to reduce the amounts of chemical additives in bread, the antifungal sourdoughs were used in combination with calcium propionate (CAP) and possible synergistic effects were evaluated. Presence of 3000 ppm CAP in the bread did not affect the outgrowth of P. roqueforti, whereas outgrowth of the other fungi was retarded. A strong synergistic effect was observed when CAP and antifungal sourdoughs were combined into the bread formulation, and outgrowth of P. roqueforti was affected. The use of reduced CAP amount (1000 ppm) showed significant inhibition only when antifungal sourdough was added. Remarkably, the increase in shelf life achieved was higher than that obtained using 3000 ppm of CAP alone. In conclusion, the results of this study clearly show that the addition of antifungal sourdough has the potential to reduce the levels of chemical additives needed in the bakery industry to ensure the microbiological safety of bread.

Relative biological effectiveness of 280 keV neutrons for apoptosis in human lymphocytes.

The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of neutrons varies from unity to greater than ten depending upon neutron energy and the biological endpoint measured. In our study, we examined apoptosis in human lymphocytes to assess the RBE of low energy 280 keV neutrons compared to Cs gamma radiation and found the RBE to be approximately one. Similar results have been observed for high energy neutrons using the same endpoint. As apoptosis is a major process that influences the consequences of radiation exposure, our results indicate that biological effect and the corresponding weighting factors for 280 keV neutrons may be lower in some cell types and tissues.

Plasma levels of soluble CD14 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha type II receptor correlate with cognitive dysfunction during human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection.

The relationship between monocyte immune responses and cognitive impairment during progressive human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection was investigated in 28 subjects receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy. The mean+/-SEM CD4(+) T lymphocyte count and virus load for all patients were 237+/-41 cells/mm(3) and 77,091+/-195,372 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL, respectively. Levels of soluble tumor necrosis factor-alpha type II receptor (sTNF-RII) and soluble CD14 (sCD14) were measured in plasma by ELISA and were correlated with results from neuropsychological, magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy tests. Plasma sCD14 and sTNF-RII levels were elevated in subjects with cognitive impairment and in those with brain atrophy. Furthermore, both factors were correlated with spectroscopic choline:creatine ratios. These findings support the idea that peripheral immune responses are linked to cognitive dysfunction during advanced HIV-1 disease.

Cotton dust and endotoxin exposure and long-term decline in lung function: results of a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the relationship between long-term exposure to cotton dust and Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin on lung function, we conducted an 11-year follow-up study of cotton textile workers in Shanghai, China. METHODS: Workers at a nearby silk-thread manufacturing mill were used as a referent population. Ninety percent of the original cohort of 445 cotton and 467 silk textile workers--both active and retired--were identified for testing in the 11th year. Questionnaires and spirometric testing were performed, as well as cotton dust and endotoxin sampling at three points over the 11-year follow-up period: at baseline, at Year 5, and at Year 11. After excluding deaths and subjects on sick-leave, 84% of the original cohort had complete health and environmental data. RESULTS: The data were reanalyzed using generalized estimating equations feedback model which allow for subject transfer over time between work areas, various exposure levels to dust and endotoxin, and FEV1. Cotton workers had a larger loss of FEV1 during the first 5 years of study (-40 mls/yr) as compared with the second 6 years of follow-up (-18 mls/yr). During the same periods, the average decline among silk workers was slightly higher in the first period, but was more consistent (-30 mls/yr vs. -27 mls/yr), and these differences could not be explained by worker selection or dropout. When cumulative exposure to dust and endotoxin were estimated and used in a multivariate model (GEE) for FEV1 loss, cumulative dust, but not endotoxin, was associated with 11-year loss in FEV1 after adjustments for confounders. There was evidence of feedback between dust-exposure levels and FEV1, indicating the existence of a healthy-worker survivor effect. After accounting for a healthy-worker survivor effect, we found a significant relationship between dust exposure and FEV1 decline. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that cotton dust is more strongly associated with chronic airflow limitation than associated endotoxins. Further work is needed to clarify potential reversibility after cessation of exposure, and the relative contributions of dust, endotoxin, and tobacco to chronic respiratory impairment in cotton and other vegetable-exposed workers.

Order effects and the weighting process in workload assessment.

Operators controlling a power grid were subjects in a mental workload experiment in which they performed their normal tasks under simulated quiet and busy conditions. Workload was assessed using the NASA Task-Load Index (TLX). It was found that there were significant differences between the two conditions, but there were no order effects. The value of the weighting procedure was assessed by correlating unweighted and weighted workload ratings. Although the correlations were high, they were not perfect, indicating some value for weighting the dimensions of the TLX. Large individual differences were observed in perceived workload.

Tissue iron deposition in untransfused beta-thalassemic mice.

Homozygous beta-thalassemic mice show many of the features seen in human beta-thalassemia, such as decreased hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell count as well as increased reticulocyte count. They also exhibit splenomegaly and a decrease in osmotic fragility of red cells. beta-thalassemic mice were examined for spontaneous iron overload at ages ranging from 20 to 595 days. Accumulation of iron was shown to occur in the spleen, liver, and kidneys but not in the heart. Sections of spleen, liver, kidney, and heart were stained for iron and subjectively scored. Image analysis microscopy was used to examine sections of spleen and liver. Nonheme iron in the four tissues was quantitated using the bathophenanthroline sulfonate colorimetric assay. An increase in tissue iron occurred primarily in the spleen, even before weaning, despite the low iron content of milk. Iron accumulation in the absence of blood transfusion is of interest because iron overload is the major cause of death in human beta-thalassemia.